ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AREA 83 EASTERN ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL Area 83 Eastern Ontario International Area Assembly Minutes October 29, 2017 FALL ASSEMBLY 2017 - 1 - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AREA 83 EASTERN ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY OCTOBER 29, 2017 - 9:00 A.M. - WEST BALLROOM 1. Opening P. 4 2. Review and Acceptance of Agenda P. 7 3. Review and Acceptance of Minutes from the Spring Assembly March 26, 2017 P. 8 4. District Committee Members' Reports (in pre-drawn sequence) P. 8 District 14 Toronto North Central Dave B District 82 Victoria Haliburton Janice D District 74 Pembroke Bill C District 34 Quinte East Gord T District 36 Kingston & The Islands Martin St-L District 66 Golden Triangle Jenny C District 70 Renfrew Pontiac Seanna B District 54 Ottawa Rideau Bartosz W District 42 St. Lawrence International Pat M District 10 Toronto South Central Rob A District 28 Lakeshore East JoAnn P District 30 Quinte West Ian W District 06 Mississauga David B District 18 Toronto City East Michael A District 22 Scarborough Tom S District 50 Cornwall Kimberley C District 26 Lakeshore West Dave L District 86 Kawartha Larry D District 16 Distrito Hispano De Toronto Angie R District 58 Ottawa Bytown Michel D District 02 Malton Shane H District 62 Ottawa West Mike B District 48 Seaway Valley North Winnie S District 12 Toronto South West Mark B District 78 Madawaska Valley Ann Marie VanDenH 5. Committee Chairpersons Reports: P. 18 Public Information Les M. Cooperation with the Professional Community Jim S. Correctional Facilities Mac B. Treatment Facilities Marty M. Grapevine Robert B. Self-Support Ray R. Archives Eddy G. Service Information Day Committee Shane H. 6. Treasurer's Report Sue B. P. 24 Seventh Tradition 7. Secretary's Report James O’D. P. 26 8. Roll Call and Registrar's Report Amy L. P. 26 9. Alternate Delegate's Report Rob M. P. 28 10. Delegate's Report Kim S. P. 29 FALL ASSEMBLY 2017 - 2 - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AREA 83 EASTERN ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL 11. OLD BUSINESS – None P. 30 12. NEW BUSINESS P. 30 a) Recommendation by the Area Committee: Accept the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Archives in Area 83 to Add to operating procedures Section III Responsibilities under Area Chairperson: “Meet with Area Archives Chairperson and Area Archivist at the beginning of each term/appointment to review responsibilities of each position.” Mike B., DCM, District 62 b) Recommendation by the Area Committee: Accept the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Archives in Area 83 to Add to operating procedures section III Responsibilities under Area Archives Chairperson: “The Area Archives Chairperson shall report the activities of the Archivist to the Area Committee and Assembly.” Mike B., DCM, District 62 c) Recommendation by the Area Committee: Accept the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Archives in Area 83 to Remove from the operating procedures section III Responsibilities under Area Archivist: “The Archivist, a non-voting appointed committee member will report to the Area Committee regularly, and the Assembly as necessary about new material received and give updates about ongoing projects (the report will be presented by the Archivist as a supplement to the Area Archives Chairpersons report).” And replace with “The Archivist, a non-voting appointed committee member will report to the Area Committee and the Assembly about new material received and give updates about ongoing projects.” (The report will be presented by the Archives Chairperson as a supplement to the Area Archives Chairpersons report).” Mike B., DCM, District 62 d) Recommendation by the Area Committee: Remove from the operating procedures section III Responsibilities under Area Archivist: “Attendance at Area Committee is voluntary, while attendance at Assembly is expected.” And replace with “Attendance at the Area Committee is voluntary and expenses shall not be reimbursed. Attendance at the Assembly is expected and expenses shall be reimbursed.” Michel D., DCM, District 58 e) Motion: We of Area 83 ask our delegate to relay our desire for the General Service trustees’ Literature Committee to consider pamphlet #3267, “The ‘God’ Word: Agnostics and Atheists in AA” (approved by The AA General Service Conference in Great Britain), for use in the U.S.A./Canada. We ask the Conference Literature Committee to consider, in the 2018 General Service Conference agenda, a request for an advisory action that “The ‘God’ Word” be adopted/amended for the U.S.A./Canada. (Please see notes for precedents, need and background.) Furthermore, we ask that this advisory action, as is our custom, direct G.S.O. to licence, print and distribute “The ‘God’ Word” to groups and members in the U’S.A. and Canada in English, Spanish and French. Rob A., DCM, District 10 f) Election of Area 83 nominee for Eastern Canada Regional Trustee. Kimberley M., Chairperson 13. SHARING TIME - WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND P. 35 14. ACCEPTANCE OF DATE AND PLACE FOR THE SPRING ASSEMBLY AND SERVICE DAY P. 35 March 23, 24, 25 2018 at the Ambassador Hotel in Kingston, Ontario 15. CLOSING P. 35 Appendix A - Financial Reports Sue B. P. 36 Appendix B - Roll Call Amy L. P. 39 Appendix C - Ask It Basket SID P. 40 Appendix D - Workshop Q & A SID P. 42 FALL ASSEMBLY 2017 - 3 - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AREA 83 EASTERN ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL October 29, 2017 Fall Assembly 1. OPENING Good morning everyone. I’ m an alcoholic, a member of the Ajax Area Group in District 26, and my name is Kimberley M. I have the honor and privilege of serving as Area 83 Chairperson for the term 2017 - 2018. Let’s start this meeting with a Moment’s Silence followed by the Serenity Prayer. 12 Traditions read by: Trevor Position: D62 12 Concepts – Short Form read by: Mike H Position: D34 – Alt GSR Welcome everybody to the Fall Assembly. Did everyone enjoy the Service Information Day yesterday? And how about the banquet, last night? Perhaps we can give a hand for the Service Information Day Committee and for the catering staff. And thank you Robb for your wonderful talk last night. Introduction This is our second Assembly of four in this term. During the remainder of the two year term, we will be working together to provide continued strength and direction to A.A. in Area 83. Our common goal during this term is to keep Alcoholics Anonymous in Area 83 vibrant and strong. Working together is the key for continued Unity in our Area. The A.A. Service manual defines an Assembly as follows: “The Area Assembly is the mainspring of the Conference structure – the democratic voice of the movement expressing itself.” Just as most District tables meet monthly to oversee the affairs of A.A. in the District, and home Groups usually have regular business meetings, to handle matters that require a group conscience decision, the Assembly is the business meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous in Area 83. Area 83 stretches from Oakville in the West to Ottawa in the East, down to upper New York State and up to Algonquin Park and the Ottawa Valley. At last count, we have 564 Active Groups. Some of us have been here before as General Service Representative or Alternate, as District Committee Member or Alternate, or as visitors. For some, it will be their first Assembly and from personal experience it can seem overwhelming! How many of you are here today attending your first Assembly? Could you raise your hand? That’s great !! Being in service is a great way to give back to AA. You will not be expected to learn or understand everything the first time or even second time. It takes time but it will make sense. Many of us didn’t understand what was going on at meetings at first, but in time, we started to understand. Service is much the same way. So please keep coming back – welcome and enjoy the rest of the assembly. Over these two years, we will make decisions on a variety of topics. The Area Assembly, like the General Service Conference, strives for substantial unanimity through ample discussion. Before a vote is held, plenty of time is taken for full discussion and questions. It is my hope that you will return to your Groups and Districts with the feeling that you have done your part in keeping Alcoholics Anonymous strong and vibrant in your area and that you have had a strong voice in Area 83. With a spirit of love and cooperation, we will be able to get things accomplished and have some fun while we’re doing it. At the end of today, I hope that each of us returns home with a renewed belief that A.A. is alive and well in our Area and that our message of hope is being well carried to the still-suffering alcoholic. I would like to remind all those present, who will be giving a report today, to give whatever highlights, are important. Written reports, when submitted to our Secretary, James O’D, will be transcribed in full in the minutes, for all in Area 83 to share. At this time I would like to introduce to you our Area Officers, Sub-Committee Chairs, Immediate and Past Delegates, appointed FALL ASSEMBLY 2017 - 4 - ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AREA 83 EASTERN ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL individuals and other visitors. If you could hold your applause till the end of each section it will speed things up a bit. Introduce officers On my immediate right, our Panel 67 Delegate Kim S On Kim’s right, our Alternate Delegate Rob M On my immediate left is our Secretary James O’D Beside James is our Treasurer Sue B Beside Sue is our Registrar Amy L Our Panel 65 Immediate Past Delegate Joyce S And I’m your Chairperson Kimberley M Area Sub-Committee Chairpersons Public Information Chairperson Les MacD Cooperation